Color:  Cows Head Chert is opaque and may range in color from yellow, grayish blue to black, brown, green or red.  At the Cows Head location chert tends to have a higher glossy luster and ranges from a gray to bluish gray.  At the St. Pauls location, the chert has a duller luster and colors of yellow and reds are seen in addition to the gray and blues. 

Texture: Fine grain

Luster: vitreous

Silica Fabrics / Fossils:  Radiolarians and sponge spicules

Patina:

Heat Treatment: 

Knapping: 

Notes:  Cows Head chert is similar to Ramah chert, but has a finer grain a duller luster.
 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

  

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Distribution Comments:

Cows Head chert is associated with the Cows Head Group and primarily found along the northern peninsula of Newfoundland and into Labrador and Quebec.  Primary sources are found along beaches at St. Paul's inlet and Cows Head where chert can be found in both beds and nodules.

The Shallow Bay Formation of the Cows Head Group is a chert producing formation and might be the source of Cows Head Chert.